Prep football: Offensive linemen are unsung heroes for Marin Catholic football team

ANYBODY WHO has scored a touchdown for the Marin Catholic High football team this season knows who the credit should go to. Although their effort isn't measured in statistics, the offensive line made up of tackles Gunnar Graham and Connor Bowen, guards Henry Baylor and Henry Harmon and center Nathan Bozin occupy the usually thankless jobs that keys the Wildcats' success.

With the big guys up front doing the dirty work, the Wildcats are a game away from the state championship with Sutter standing in their way in the NorCal final at Oroville on Saturday.

"They're the frontline, they're the tip of the spear and they take pride in that," offensive line coach Tony Anello said. "They never look at anything else except the 'W' up on the scoreboard. Then they know they've done their job."

The linemen also know that their job isn't done when that final whistle blows and the game is over.

Being a part of the offensive line is like a badge of honor. Perhaps it doesn't come with a lot of recognition, but their teammates and coaches know what they do and that's all it takes.

"They're not in the limelight all the time in the paper, but that's not how they measure themselves," head coach Mazi Moayed said. "They take pride in what they do; we have great pride in them. They know that everything starts with them up front, regardless of everybody else."

"When I see one of our running backs score or one of our quarterbacks score, it makes me feel like I scored," said Graham, who has a verbal commitment to play next season at the University of Colorado. "I put in the work for them to score, so it's kind of like we scored, mutually."

Listed at 6-foot-5, 280 pounds and with an opportunity to play football at the next level, Graham knows that his fellow offensive linemen look up to him, literally and figuratively. Graham also knows that the success of the team directly correlates to the four guys next to him and working together to make sure the whole team can reap the benefit.

"Together we're a cohesive unit, we all work together as one," Graham said. "We just have to thrive off of each other and help each other up and help each other get better."

"As a football team we're a family and we're kind of a family within a family," Bowen said. "I know the guard next to me and I have a special bond and I have a special bond with all these guys. We have a great relationship going on."

"We're a family and in this family we're the providers," Bozin said. "We're going to go over to Oroville and we're gonna play with our hearts out, 110 percent. We're just gonna give it our all."

Graham isn't the only player of the group moving on to collegiate athletics. Both Baylor and Harmon are committed to Cal, not for football, but for rugby. The experience playing another physical sport has helped both players on the football field as well.

"In rugby there's no blockers so a lot of our tackles are one-on-one open field tackles," Baylor explained. "It just helps us with our second-level blocking."

"The footwork, you have to be perfectly in sync with everyone, you have to have your quick feet going," Harmon added. "It really helps with football as well. You have to have quick feet because that's how you're going to get the upper edge on that big guy in front of you."

The other four offensive linemen agreed that one of the keys to their prowess as a unit is because of Bozin. At the center position, Bozin is essentially the leader of the frontline.

"He's a huge contributor to our o-line because he's the main communicator and he constantly gets us knowing our calls, knowing what to look for," Graham said. "He's the vocal captain of our line."

The NorCal final is a game that has been added just this season. With all the banging the offensive line does week to week, maybe the wear and tear would get to them. These guys don't fret about that. It's another game to get to where they want to go, the state championship.

"It gives us an opportunity to prove ourselves even more," Baylor said. "(After) the section bowl it was kind of random who got chosen to go to state. Now we get to show we really deserve to be there if we win."

"We need to go up there and do what we've always done," Bowen said. "We need to hit 'em in the mouth and play our football. We need to do our assignments and just pop 'em."

Northern Regional Division III Championship Marin Catholic (13-1) vs. Sutter (13-0) at Harrison Stadium in Oroville, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: Priced at $12 for adults and $8 for seniors, high school students and children, they are on sale Thursday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Friday from 7 a.m. to Noon at the Marin Catholic book store and will be available Saturday at Harrison Stadium beginning at 5:30 p.m. Radio/TV: PlayOn Sports live audio stream available at www.marinij.com